Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[lonnyandrinda]

I hatched some eggs from Wynette and now have 8 Black Copper in the brooder today.

I have 8 additional Black Coppers in the brooder from The Fancy Chick that i won on rarebreeds this week so I'm feeling very happy today and looking forward to next spring.

 

[Broad St Farm]

Well, all I know is  Marans don't  have yellow combs, especially at that age, actually, I don't know what breed does? Beigy, but yellow? Could it be a combination of Pea comb & straight?

Only time I have had exp with yellow combs is if the birds have yellow legs too. They will have a yellow tinge to thier combs.

 

[ratkinso]

Hi all, I am looking for about 10 French Black Copper Marans pullets and 1 rooster, anyone know of some good dark layers that are available in the Houston, TX area, I've been looking in craigslist and either can't find them or can't get anyone to email me back...

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: There are a bunch of top Marans breeders in TX. Some of them are Ernie Haire from Arp, TX http://marans2xl.com/index.html ;
Peggy Taylor http://www.rockyspringsfarm.com/Pages/Content/Default.asp?pid=57 ;
Austin's Best Poultry ; and Beverly Robertson.
http://texasmarans.com/links.html
All have lovely show quality birds and win consistently in quality competition. All have websites, check online or the breeders directories for Marans of America Club and the Marans Chicken Club .
Just a note: expect to pay money for these birds. However, you will save so much more money by not having to breed up in quality over the years. Starting with some of the best you can find is the cheapest way to get started in poultry. Started birds are fine to found a flock. They have already been graded for quality at least once by the breeder. If you want some grown hens and roosters., they will cost more. Perhaps the breeder has some 2-4 yr. old birds he doesn't need any more for his breeding program and he will sell you those? That way you will have a couple more breeding seasons left in them for you to start your flock.
Best,
Karen

 

[Beour3rd]

two questions

heritage Black Copper Marans - can they be raised in colder climates? such as ontario? i am over lake ontario and it's probably equal to central michigan.

second. where can i find some to buy? i'd like about 16 hens and 1 rooster (i would be fine with raising some younger ones but in that case i'd have to build an incubator (which i plan on building anyways, but would need to read-up before getting them which would delay my actually having chickens!)

 

[Broad St Farm]

T

two questions heritage Black Copper Marans - can they be raised in colder climates? such as ontario? i am over lake ontario and it's probably equal to central michigan. second. where can i find some to buy? i'd like about 16 hens and 1 rooster (i would be fine with raising some younger ones but in that case i'd have to build an incubator (which i plan on building anyways, but would need to read-up before getting them which would delay my actually having chickens!)

They do actually quite well in northern climates. I'm in Michigan just South of Flint. Haven't had a problem yet. You need to have coops with good ventilation so condensation doesn't build up. They can get frost bite on combs and wattles. Monitor them. But they are no different than other breeds but the males can get pretty large combs. I hate seeing picture of people's males with combs frost bitten combs. Makes me mad. Other consideration is raising young chicks during winter time. Very difficult up north. You will be fine, just monitor them daily. If combs and wattles start to turn purple or really white than you need take action. I went out and bought cheap heaters for really cold nights. During the day my birds never go in. At night their body heat is usually sufficient to keep combs from freezing. I know you guys are limited to shipment of poultry. But you can drive across the border with eggs. My friend does it.

 

[ratkinso]

Great information Karen, thank you very much!!

 

[ratkinso]

I have emailed and will try calling the breeders that Karen gave me, but if anyone knows of someone near Houston, so I can go and look at them that would be great. (closest one from me of those is 3 hours one way)

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: More than welcome.
A note on northern climes, we are in western PA. During the winter get gets sub zero cold and fwindy. When I had Marans they would happily slosh thru the snow and wet. They are a swamp poultry breed and wet doesn't bother them. I kept an 85 watt bulb in my 4x3 coop. The 3 Marans hens laid right thru the winter. Even during blizzards when I had to literally dig the snow out to open the coop for feeding.
Best,
Karen

 

[chicken pickin]

I thought I would jump into this thread I have had Marans for almost a year and I love them. The eggs are a great assortment to the egg basket each day. One of my FBCM just went broody and is sitting on 6 eggs

.

I was wondering what you all thought of my Young FBCM rooster he is roughly 14 weeks old. I am going to keep him as a back up rooster to my older Marans rooster and for now give him his own pen with OE and EE.

this is Rebel